THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Minutes of the meeting of the Steering Committee held on 30 January 2012
Present:
Vice-Chancellor,
Professor A Caesar,
Professor S Croft,
Professor M Finn,
Professor C Hughes,
Professor T Jones,
Professor J Labbe,
Professor S Swain,
Professor P Thomas,
Professor M Taylor,
Professor P Winstanley.
Apologies:
Professor K Lamberts, Mr L Bøe, Acting Registrar.
In Attendance:
Academic Registrar, Director of Finance and Financial Strategy, Director of HR,
Director of Development, Communications and Strategy, Director of Estates, Head of
Corporate Governance, Head of Governance Support Services, Administrative Officer
(Governance), Director of Fundraising (for item 280/11-12), Deputy Academic
Registrar (for item 281/11-12).
276/11-12
Minutes
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2012 be approved, subject to the
following amendments (deletions struck through, additions underlined):
265/11-12
Research Strategy Update
REPORTED: (by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Knowledge Transfer, Business
Engagement and Research (Science & Medicine))
(b)
That “Social Public Policy” had been dropped from the portfolio of
GPPs, leaving nine areas for potential research activity.
(…)
277/11-12
Science Park
REPORTED: (by the Vice-Chancellor)
That the University’s complete ownership of the Warwick Science Park would commence
from 1 February 2012.
278/11-12
Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2012
REPORTED: (by the Vice-Chancellor)
That Warwick Business School had improved its position in the Financial Times Global Fullth
Time MBA Rankings from 58 in 2011, to 27th in 2012.
1
279/11-12
UK Border Agency
REPORTED: (by the Vice-Chancellor)
(a)
That the University continued to support the UUK campaign to remove students from
the quotas for those applying for leave to remain in the UK following the expiration of
their current visa.
(b)
That the current proposals regarding “leave to remain” could have a deterrent effect
on academics deciding between positions in the UK and their home nation.
(by the Director of HR)
(c)
280/11-12
That the University was awaiting the outcome of the UKBA consultation on
employment-related settlement.
Development and Alumni Update
CONSIDERED:
A report from the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Access, Widening Participation and Development,
the Director of Development, Communications and Strategy and the Director of Fundraising,
updating the Committee on the activity of the Development and Alumni Relations Office
(SC.206/11-12).
REPORTED: (by the Director of Fundraising)
(a)
That half of the £50 million target had been reached in the 50 Forward Campaign.
(b)
That there was potential for further income within the theme areas of “Medicine” and
“The Business World” and that work was being undertaken with Warwick Business
School and Warwick Medical School to develop this.
(c)
That Hogan Lovells, an international law firm, had agreed to donate £250,000 plus
gift aid (£312,000) to fund a five year commitment to a Chair in European Business
Law and Policy in the Law School following negotiations over the past nine months
between Professor Julio Faundez, Professor Hugh Beale, Mary McGrath and the
partners of Hogan Lovells.
(d)
That Lloyds Banking Group had invited Warwick to take part in the Lloyds Scholars
Programme with a potential benefit of £345,000 over three years, including £30,000
per annum to fund administration of the scheme.
(e)
That the values of the University’s donor-funded Chairs were comparable to other
Russell Group institutions.
(f)
That the parameters for approaching the naming of buildings, academic posts or
centres in recognition of a benefactor or the contribution made by an exceptional
individual, needed to remain flexible to accomodate the donor’s wishes while
protecting the University’s interests.
(by the Director of Development, Communications and Strategy)
(g)
That the proposed Donor Naming Policy indicated the University’s openness to
receipt of such donations.
(by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Access, Widening Participation and Development)
(h)
That, given the achievement of reaching half of the 50 Forward Campaign target, an
event focusing on the area stretching from Stratford and to Birmingham community
2
could offer an opportunity for celebration and encouragement for the second part of
the Campaign.
(i)
That a training event for Heads of Departments on fundraising had been held in the
Autumn term, to address the where concern had been raised that the primary focus of
fundraising would be within confined to specific areas of the Sciences, and in order to
identify opportunities within the Arts.
(j) That, in response to this concern, paper SC.206/11-12 noted that the Development
and Alumni Relations Office would be working with a wider range of departments.
(by the Head of Governance Support Services)
(k)
That further clarification of the governance and decision making process within the
proposed Donor Naming Policy, as set out in SC.206.11-12, was required.
RESOLVED:
That the Donor Naming Policy be approved in principle, as set out in SC.206.11-12, subject to
revisions and clarifications of the governance routes to be considered by the Building
Committee and the Council.
281/11-12
Postgraduate Issues
RECEIVED:
A report from the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies and the Deputy Academic Registrar,
to update on developments concerning postgraduate students (SC.207/11-12).
REPORTED: (by the Deputy Academic Registrar)
(a)
That approximately half of the departmental meetings to discuss individual progress
towards doubling postgraduate research student numbers had been undertaken, with
a range of issues identified to be addressed.
(b)
That the new postgraduate facility in Coventry House, named “The PG Hub”, was
nearing completion and it was expected that a variety of initiatives would be
undertaken within that space.
(by the Chair of the Faculty of Social Sciences)
(c)
That the Chairs of the Faculties were well placed to advise on the series of Facultyfocused postgraduate research careers events being planned within the Graduate
School.
(by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Access, Widening Participation and Development)
(d)
282/11-12
That the recommendation that students fully funded by a Chancellor’s (International)
Scholarship from 2013-14 be asked to ‘give back’ in the form of 4 hours/week of
departmental activity, be revised to reflect the equivalent number of hours annually
per term, in order to enable full day involvement in events such as Open Days.
HEFCE Grant Letter from BIS for 2012-13
RECEIVED:
A letter from the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Minister
for Universities and Science to the Chief Executive of HEFCE, confirming funding allocations
for 2012 13 and the Government’s priorities for the Council for the coming year (SC.212/1112).
3
REPORTED: (by the Academic Registrar)
(a)
That the Science and Research budget had been ring-fenced and included HEFCE
funding for research.
(b)
That emphasis had been placed on efficiencies, for example, joint projects to reduce
overheads and sharing of facilities.
(c)
That the letter was clear in its warning against over-recruitment of students, noting
that the penalties for over-recruitment had increased.
(by the Vice-Chancellor)
(d)
That the list of priorities set out in the teaching funding letter from BIS to HEFCE
(SC.212/11-12) reflected the government’s priorities in this area, noting the concern
for the underfunding of science subjects.
(e)
That the ring-fenced Science and Research budget included quality-related (QR)
funding, but that the letter indicated that QR funding was vulnerable to reductions.
(f)
That the government continued to consider moving the unrestricted recruitment of
students achieving AAB+ at A-Level or equivalent to those achieving ABB+.
(by the Director of HR)
(g)
283/11-12
That the letter referred to restrictions on public sector pay increases, with strong
encouragement for sectors “in receipt of public funding” to exercise the same
restraint.
Major Research Proposal: Royal Society/Wolfson Foundation - Warwick Insight Core
CONSIDERED:
An outline bid to the Royal Society and Wolfson Foundation, led by Warwick Medical School
(SC.204/11-12).
REPORTED: (by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Knowledge Transfer, Business Engagement and
Research (Science & Medicine))
(a)
That the proposal was for the improvement of biomedical imaging facilities on the
Gibbet Hill campus.
(b)
That the detailed proposal for the £330,000 grant made a strong academic and
business case, and that 50% matched funding from the University was required.
(c)
That the University would be financially liable for £226,000 in total, with approximately
£167,000 provided for refurbishment and £59,000 contributing to further equipment, in
addition to £100,000 already committed from HEIF funding.
RESOLVED:
That the bid to the Royal Society and Wolfson Foundation for the improvement of biomedical
imaging facilities on Gibbet Hill campus be approved for submission prior to the deadline of 31
January 2012.
4
284/11-12
Membership of Senate Committees
RESOLVED:
That the appointment of Professor Peter Scott (Department of Chemistry), to serve on the
Board of the Faculty of Science as one of up to three co-opted members, being members of
academic staff, be approved for the remainder of 2011/12.
285/11-12
Ofsted Consultation on Changes to the Framework for the Inspection of Initial Teacher
Education (minute 263/11-12 refers)
RECEIVED:
The University’s final response to the Ofsted Consultation on proposed revisions to the
framework for the inspection of initial teacher training
(http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/externalconsultation/ofsted_framework_for_the_insp
ection_of_ite_2012_consultation_response_-_jan_12_2.pdf).
286/11-12
UCAS Admissions Process Review Consultation (minute 243/11-12 refers)
RECEIVED:
The University’s final response to the UCAS consultation on the Admissions Process Review,
and an accompanying letter
(http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/externalconsultation/ucas_process_review_letter_fro
m_nt_and_apr_response_form_warwick.pdf).
287/11-12
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Doctoral Training
Partnerships (DTP)
RECEIVED:
A University of Warwick press release regarding the BBSRC’s award of a £4.5 million DTP for
postgraduate training in research areas such as food security, bio-energy and quantitative
biology, to Warwick in partnership with the University of Birmingham and the University of
Leicester (SC.205/11-12).
288/11-12
Higher Education Bill: Postponement
RECEIVED:
An email from the Chief Executive of Universities UK highlighting the proposals to delay the
introduction of the Higher Education Bill, as initially flagged in an article in The Telegraph on
24 January 2012 (SC.203/11-12).
NO/KP/steershare/minutes/201112/Jan12/30Jan12
5